Reaction #96224
ord-e15f3a42963a45388e52153e7d875882
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The invention resides in the process which comprises reacting pyridinylmethyl methyl ketone with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile in a lower-alkanol to produce 1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-5-(pyridinyl)nicotinonitrile, where pyridinyl is 4- or 3-pyridinyl or 4- or 3-pyridinyl having one or two lower-alkyl substituents. In a preferred embodiment 4(or 3)-pyridinylmethyl methyl ketone and ethoxymethylenemalononitrile are heated in ethanol to produce 1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-5-[4(or 3)-pyridinyl]nicotinonitrile. In a particularly preferred embodiment 4-pyridinylmethyl methyl ketone and ethoxymethylenemalononitrile are heated in refluxing ethanol to produce 1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-5-(4-pyridinyl)nicotinonitrile.